The Portland daily press., 1887-08-05
"MUcH OR LITTLE"
by sYLvANus COBB. JR.
rBoston Sunday Times.1

of the smallest. He was a skinflint on
small scale. He never made large ventures.
The turning of an honest penny gave him no
particular Joy; but If he could get the better
of a neighbor, or of a traveller, in the way of
trade, he was happy On the other hand,
let him be oyerreached in the way of busi-
ness and he was in agony.
One day Deacon Hibbard-a good old far
mer from the upper part of the town, called
Ia at the tavern and asked Lotus If he could
give him "a bite of something to eat" He
impressed it upon Steve Loftus's mind that
he didn't want a regular dinner. A cup of
weak tea, crust of stale bread. with little
butter. That was all.
And that was all Lotus gave him. He
DR. the tea, ate the butter on about half
the bread, then arose and went out into the
bar room and asked what was to pay.
"Thirty-fye cents, Deacon, is the price for
dinner"
Now the good old deacon was by no means
penurious man, nor was he in any way
grasping; but he was poor man and was
obliged to look carefully after the pennies if
he would make both ends meet at the end of
"But-Mr. LOTUS" fairly gasped the dea-
con, you don't call that dinner which you
served me?"
"Sartin do, Deacon. It's the regular din
ner time, and | gave you all you wanted.
You mout'r had all you'd asked for. Le'me
tell yer-Pve got jest one lar rule: A
dinners dinner. much or little; and I've
got my priee-thirty-fye cents. II you'd
been mind to you might have eat ten times
as much, an 'twouldn't been only din
ner."
Suppose man should come along that
could eat whole ox?" suggested the dea-
con.
"Twonld beIjest the same. As / told you
alore, much or little, dinners dinner"
The deacon took out his well-w0rn purse,
and paid the sum; but he did it reluctantly,
and with heavy heart. 1t was not so much
the money, as he told me afterward; but the
thought of the wrong put upon him.
Now 1t so happened that my friend AbneI
jackson and myself were sitting in the bar
room at the time. Also, there were a mum.
Der of others-all Understanding and
chatting socially.
Ten or fifteen minutes before the deacon
came out of the dining room Abner and
had seen Dan Bantam pass with a load of
wood; and we knew he was hauling it to
Dr. Daniels, Here was an opportunity to
give Lotus a Roland for his Oliver. Ban
tam had worked for me once; and had once
eaten at my table-but never again.
He stood six feet in his stockings; and
q
could eat more than any other man | ever
knew.
followed Deacon Hubbard to the door,
and asked him to go back and wait awhile,
at the same time whispering to him that he
should have an opportunity to give the land
lord slight return for his dinner charge.
We found Dan with his wood off, ready for
a start homeward. We asked him if he was
hungry
Hungry he repeated, regarding us with
4
hungry? I'd like ter git filled up Jest once.
I'll be snaked if | wouIdn'tr'
We then told him If he would come to the
tavern and order dinner and eat 1t; we would
pay the bill. Dan was nobody's fool. On
the way we gave him an inkling of what we
really wanted. His dull gray eyes fairly
shone. It appeared that Lotus had once
cheated him in paying for a load of wood
had given him a counterfeit half dollar, and
would not take it back. Poor Dan could not
afford to risk suit at law, SO he had been
obliged to pocket the loss. BY the time We
had gone half the distance to the tavern he
was thoroughly instructed, and as eager fol
the fray as man could be. Then we Slipped
on ahead, and left him to come after.
we found the company in the bar room as
we had left it, The deacon had sat down
and picked up an old paper. The landlord
was tumbling about, now here, now there,
watching Tor a customer. BY and by Dan
Bantam drove his OK team into the Stable
yard, shook down wisp Of hay before the
beasts from bag in his cart, and then came
into the bar room. He wanted some dinner.
And want bang-up one, ole hoss!"
Lotus looked him over-the man had new
er eaten at the inn table-looked at him from
head to foot, thinking, perhaps, that man
so lean and lank could not be a great eater.
He didn't ask the guest what he would like
for dinner, but simply informed him that il
would be ready in few minutes, and then
waddled away. Dan was hungry; his
mouth watered. The day was Saturday,
and the cooks had made provisions for the
morrow, and were still at work, as was evi
dent from the odors that were ever and amor
waited in from the kitchen.
In the course of five to ten minutes the
landlord put his rubicund visage in at tn,
door and announced that the dinner wa
ready.
Abner and asked him if he would go il
with us. Said /:
1--WE can finish our business just as wei
while Mr.. jackson and | are eating as at an
me-"
called for piece Of pie, with cheese ant
cup of milk Abner called for the same.
The sideboard was broad pine table. Sc
close against the wall on the back side wit
its end against the partition of the kitchen
and over that end was an aperture c0mmuni
eating with the culinary department. o.
this board | saw ioin of veal-roast-wit
only few slices gone. 1t would furnis
cold meat for supper, with plenty left TO
OilC hOlD. AioO, u pdIb VI IL IOdSb SlTlUln U
beef. That, likewise, was intended for sup
per cold.
The landlord saw us seated, and hayin
placed before Dan dish of potatoes, tw
slices Of bread, really generous slice 0
veal, with small dish of gravy, he was upo
the point of turning, when the hungry ma
asked If he couldn't have something warm
drink. He didn't care particularly whethe
1t was tea or coffee.
We don't furnish hot drink with Dime
unless specially ordered" said Lotus, rath
er huifiiy.
"Wall, ole boss! ies' you consider tibet
hey especially ordered coffee eff we've got
handy. Eff ye haven't let'r be tea"
a red headed girl who was in waiting q
the sdeboard was directed to call for til
coffee pot; and shortly after, as though feal
ing that he might come to high words wit
the fellow If he remained, the fat host too
himself out OF the way, leaving Susan to wa
upon the table and upon the guests
susan Mason, the damsel of the red head
was farmers daughter, whose parent
were next door neighbors to Abner, and the
were friends. She disliked LOTUS; and whel
Abner had given her to understand til
game in hand she caught at it eagerly.
And then began scene of the drama tina
never saw approached by any other man
Dams plate was cleared in twinkling.
"SooZ' IA leetle piece more o. that er
veal, 4 II please"
1t came-a generous slice; aad Dan adde
another potato.
"Soozn Win We le' me hev a bit NOR
bread?"
She brought him half loaf and more bu
ter.
SOON! / declar! That ere veal is dreff
good. Win ye le' me hev jes' leetle b
mOre?"
Susan enjoyed it. She had heard her f;
Their speak of Dan Bantam's eating capacity
but she had never heard half of the trutl
He finished the veal, and then went at til
beef; and by the time he had done all thf
was left of either was bone-bonei
"So0z'nl Hey We got leetle bit o. pudd'r
or anything Of that kind, eh ?"
She told him they had no pudding; bu
they had plenty of pies-mince-apple-
~, Ge-whttaker! Mince pie for til
world Them's UNI! Let's hev onel"
AND she brought him whole mince pie
toSetner with generous slice of cheese.
lie went at it with relish, actual
smaeking his lips! And the pie disappeared
And that was not the end
Soon! Didn't hear We say catstdrd pie I?
YES, SIR"
wal, rayther guess as haow't I'll to-
off on one O. them ere critturs %
she Drought 1t, and he was deyourinp th
last hlOfsel OF u when the landlord came il
We learned afterward that he had been 4,
tanned out of doors by a man who had hoo
talking of trading horses. but II han come /
nothing. 80 he came in feeling sore, n
thought he had lost good trade through tn
disposition OF the horseman to wrong and do
fraud him.
Ctanban oftuS was an old landIona r,